We, the parish of Sacred Heart, are committed to enriching the Spirituality of the parish family, the Christian community, and all brothers and sisters created in God's divine image and likeness.  We are called by the Holy Spirit, under the leadership of our Bishop and Pastor, to assist others through the development and promotion of various ministries.  We pray for Divine guidance that we may serve others with truth, courage, forethought, and compassion.

Parish School of Religion Registartion is officialy open. The classes will begin on September 10th. The children will meet each Sunday from 9 am till 10:15 am. A snack and juice will be served at 8:45 am in Gabriel Hall. To register your child please click HERE to download and fill out the forms and email them to achandler@sacredheartshreveport.org. Registartion forms will also be availale at Back to School Sunday on August 27th, after the morning mass in Gabriel Hall. For any questions please contact Aga Chandler at (318) 635-5446. 

You can now donate/tithe/contribute online towards the needs of our church.
Please visit our online-giving page at the top bar of this page.

     First we want to thank everyone who supports St. Vincent de Paul! Without your donations, SVdP would not exist.  The inflation has hit the less fortunate hard.  We cannot afford to buy eggs for the pantry. One case of 15 dozen eggs cost $60 now!  We try to keep bath soap and toilet tissue throughout the year.    
      Food in March was an unusually slow month for St. Vincent de Paul.  Households served was 48, which included 37 children, 51 adults, 14 seniors, and 5 homeless.  Total cost of food was $85.43 for 4,122 pounds of food.  We are actually getting more free food from USDA.  What a blessing!  Six  families were helped with utilities totaling $482.13.  Many thanks to those who bought items for the Lenten bags.  It really helps those in need since these are items that can't be bought with Food Stamps.   We are extremely in need of children’s clothes of all sizes. 

Thank you for helping through the Poor Box. 

FYI:  Joe Glorioso has graciously accepted the position as President of St. Vincent de Paul of Sacred Heart!  Please give him all the support he needs to carry-on Sacred Heart's out-reaches.  We are the only SVDP that has a food pantry and clothing pantry.  Please remember Joe in your prayers.  He has very special members that are so loyal.  Please remember to pray for that special person to take over the Clothing Side and work at your own pace.  Bea will always be available to help in her "Retirement." 
 

HOMILY-GOD IS JUST AND MERCIFUL
September 24, 2023
By:  Fr. Mark Watson, Pastor

One of my joys in priesthood has been encountering people who have gone through conversion in their lives.  That conversion might take many forms.  I have experienced great joy in the lives of these individuals and in the lives of members of the Church who have welcomed them back.  In the parable of today’s Mass Jesus communicates that the salvation of God is for all and those whose are closest to God should rejoice with those who come back to God after lives of sin and separation.

Our first reading is taken from the section of the Book of Isaiah which was written when the people of the kingdom of Judah were in captivity in Babylon.  The reading ends with the words, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.  As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9).  The ways of God are far beyond our ways.  In today’s Gospel we will see how the ways of God are beyond our ways.

Jesus uses a parable to speak to us of the generosity of God.  Jesus teaches that the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who goes to the marketplace to hire workers to bring in the harvest.  The harvest is a symbol of the judgement.  He invites workers to the vineyard beginning at 6:00 am.  He continues to invite workers to work in the vineyard throughout the day.  He invites workers to go to the vineyard at noon, at 3:00 pm and finally at 5:00 pm.  The reading speaks to us of how God constantly invites people into the kingdom.

In order to understand the story we are to imagine the first group of workers who are in the hot sun throughout the entire day.  We are also to reflect on the group of workers who were hired at the end of the day and so were only in the sun for about one hour in the cool of the evening.

At the end of the day the owner of the vineyard asked the foreman to gather the laborers and give them their pay.  Those who worked for only one hour received a full day’s pay.  The group that had worked for an entire day received the same full day’s wage.  This was the wage to which they had agreed at the beginning of the day.  Those who worked the whole day grumbled against the owner since they received the same amount as those who worked for only one hour.  The owner reminds the workers who had worked in the hot sun all day that this was not unjust as they had agreed to this wage.

The owner of the vineyard is a symbol of God and shows that God is generous in his giving of salvation.  The gift of eternal life is the same whether one enters the kingdom at the beginning or end of his/her life.  God is just as he gives the gift of salvation to all of the workers as he promised and God is merciful as he gives salvation to all of those who faithfully work in the vineyard.   The Scripture scholar, Daniel Harrington, indicates that the point of the story is that eternal life is a sufficiently abundant reward for everyone.

The attitude of those who were hired first reminds us that we do not earn God’s grace through our efforts but instead that God’s grace is a free gift.  The mercy of God does not depend on our merits or works.  God’s mercy is a free gift.  It is given both to those who do and do not deserve His mercy.   God does not make distinctions between people based on years of commitment.

The story does not give us the perspective of those who were hired at the end of the day and who worked for one hour in the cool of the evening.  I imagine if this scene had been described the story would show that they leapt for joy.  We should show the same joy in reflecting how God blesses us with salvation.  Let us give thanks that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and that God’s ways are above our ways.    We have a God who is merciful to us not because we deserve that mercy.  Let us give thanks that we have a God who simply loves us because God is love.

Sacred Heart Family,

Sacred Heart Grief Support Group is Helping families recover from the loss of a love one.  I also see a need for a Family Support Group to aid our families with a variety of needs, to be able to reach out in a safe and confidential way with other couples.  I would like to start a Sacred Heart Family Support Group.  The aim is to have family couples that are open minded and nonjudgmental that can listen to each other and share personal reflections.

The aim is to:
· Increase the strength and resilience of families
· Support better family relationships so to reach their full           potential
· Helps families make acquaintances with other families and     resources in the community
· Provides individualized, family-driven support that respects family culture, values, and preferences
 
Benefits
· Increases families' level of knowledge about family   relationships
· Connects parents with similar experiences
· Reduces the sense of stress and isolation
· Provides opportunities for families to support each other
 
Please let me know if you would be interested in starting this ministry at Sacred Heart.   Just email me individually at deaconnash@sacredheartshreveport.org
 
 
                                              Deacon Clary Nash
 

Catholic Charities of North Louisiana
March 30 at 9:58 AM  · 
During March, Caddo Parish Commission is "Celebrating Caddo Parish Women" and our own Jean Woods, Casemanager, was recently honored. Special thanks to Stormy Gage-Watts (Caddo Parish Commissioner) for nominating her and when put to vote everyone voted YES!  When ask what this recognition meant to Jean, she said, "It is a great honor for me to receive this special award. I am grateful to everyone who has always been a part of my journey from my Heavenly Father God, my Mom, family and friends, my boss Meg Goorley and the staff of Catholic Charities, my Sacred Heart family and Commissioner Stormy     Gage-Watts."

How the Lucky Calendar Numbers work for you  and
work for the good of the Church

This is what the fundraiser provides to this church:
 

• to provide a fun filled stress free Fall Fair for you, your family, and friends. 
• to show appreciation to Mother’s and Father’s by giving gifts this year and future.
• to help offset the cost to send our youth to different camps/events/retreats.
• to offset bible study materials for Adult Catholic education.
• If all 1,000 numbers are sold THIS year for 2024 calendar year, That equals $25,000.
• If all 1,000 numbers are sold, the guaranteed payout would be around $9,000

1. Each Lucky Calendar Number is assigned a 3-digit number
2. The winning numbers ARE the Louisiana Lottery Pick 3 numbers which are drawn & announced every night at 10 pm except Easter and Christmas when there is no drawing. 
3. For you, the payout is like this: if your number is drawn Monday through Friday, you win $25.00.  If it’s drawn on a Saturday, you win $35.00 and if it is drawn on a Sunday you win $50.
4. But if your # is drawn on one of the 20 selected special days listed on the Lucky Number, you win $100, $200 or $300 instead of the above prize.
5. There is no limit to how many times you can win, it’s all based on the Pick 3 numbers.
6. The Pastoral Council keeps up with the numbers, you don’t have to unless you choose to.
7. Each Wednesday winning numbers are recorded and checks are mailed. 
8. Each Lucky Calendar Number cost $25.
9. You can email Cathy Flynn at cbflynn2586@aol.com for more information or to obtain a lucky number.

• Buy one for yourself
• Buy one for your significant other
• Give as gifts

Have fun and play along.  You’ll be glad you did!

The Pastoral Council

We offer our prayer for peace in solidarity with the Holy Father, Pope Francis for Peace in Ukraine.

We ask for the intercession of St. Michael the Archangel the Patron Saint of Ukraine, to bring peace and hope to this nation and its people.

Lord, look down with mercy and compassion on Your humble servants, and out of love for mankind hearken and have mercy on us and on the land of Ukraine.

Lift up those who fight in defense of Ukraine and her much suffering people, outnumbered though they be.

With deep compassion and mercy enlighten and make glad the hearts of the civil authorities and strengthen them by Your might.

Sacred Heart Family,

Sacred Heart Grief Support Group is Helping families recover from the loss of a love one.  I also see a need for a Family Support Group to aid our families with a variety of needs, to be able to reach out in a safe and confidential way with other couples.  I would like to start a Sacred Heart Family Support Group.  The aim is to have family couples that are open minded and nonjudgmental that can listen to each other and share personal reflections.

The aim is to:
· Increase the strength and resilience of families
· Support better family relationships so to reach their full           potential
· Helps families make acquaintances with other families and     resources in the community
· Provides individualized, family-driven support that respects family culture, values, and preferences
 
Benefits
· Increases families' level of knowledge about family   relationships
· Connects parents with similar experiences
· Reduces the sense of stress and isolation
· Provides opportunities for families to support each other
 
Please let me know if you would be interested in starting this ministry at Sacred Heart.   Just email me individually at deaconnash@sacredheartshreveport.org
 
                                               Deacon Clary Nash

 

After Wed. Morning Mass and
30 minutes before Weekend Masses)

Location:
4736 Lyba Street
Shreveport, LA   71109-0467

Postal Mail:
4736 Lyba Street
Shreveport, LA   71109-0467

Rectory:            318-635-2121
Church:             318-635-2121
Fax:                  318-635-5226
Gabriel Hall:     318-635-5446
SVdP Hotline    318-865-7807